


Lantern's Glow

by CastielsHeart



Series: Promptober 2019 [8]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bees, Bookstore Owner Castiel, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, lanterns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 18:01:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20952572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastielsHeart/pseuds/CastielsHeart
Summary: Castiel meets a little boy during the town's annual Lantern Festival.  This leads to something Castiel could have never foreseen.Day Eight Prompt: Lantern's Glow + Frail





	Lantern's Glow

Lantern’s Glow + Frail

It had been a long day for Castiel but he was finally reaping the benefits. For months he had been tracking down a 17th century book written by and Englishman on his observations of bees and what he called the “The Religious Experience of Bee Husbandry” The book had been quite frail but Castiel had pulled out all his book conservation skills and now he felt comfortable taking it home to add to his own collection.

He turned out the lights and locked the doors on his bookshop called Celestial Antique Books and Conservation. He had opened the place a decade ago right out of college. Ever since he had been lost in his work. His brother Gabriel made attempts to socialize Castiel but he eventually retreated back to his sanctuary of books. 

Castiel decided to walk home through the park tonight. The town was having their annual fall festival. Every year the townspeople would make lanterns of all different types out of every material imaginable. Castiel sat on a park bench watching people light the lanterns. He opened his book and started to look over it, by the lantern’s glow. To think the author of this book probably created it with much the same light.

He was reading a description of a hive the author had found when a little boy tugged on his pant leg. The little boy looked to be about six years old or so. He had red hair and a dusting of freckles across his cheek. “Hey mister! Whatcha readin?” he asked.

“I am reading about bees. Where are your parents?” Castiel said looking around. An unattended child after dark was especially alarming to Castiel.

“Unca Dean is over there. He getting us corndogs for dinner. I ain’t supposed to tell my mommas.” The little boy said cheerily.

About that time a tall man came running over holding two corndogs. “Granger… you know you’re not supposed to leave my side. I’m sorry if he bothered you.” 

“Oh he’s not a bother. So you are Granger’s uncle?” Castiel asked.

“His moms are two of my best friends.” That’s when Castiel notice that the tall man had the same pattern of freckles across his cheeks. Castiel smiled because he suspected this very attractive man gave his best friends the means to have their son. “My name is Dean and as you already know this is Granger.”

“I am Castiel.” He said holding out his hand.

Dean gave him a firm handshake. “You own the old bookstore in town.”

“Yes. I’ve never seen you in there before though.” Castiel said quirking his head sideways in confusion.

“No but my brother Sam is quickly spending his lifesavings in there.” Dean said jokingly.

“Ah. You’re Sam Winchester’s brother. I believe he said you work with cars.” Castiel said now even more interested. Sam had mentioned a couple months back that he was looking for a book on classic cars to cheer up his brother after he caught his boyfriend cheating.

“Yeah I restore classic cars. It’s my passion.” Dean responded with a smile.

“I understand passion. Books are mine, along with bees. I hope to one day have a place in the country so I can have a few hives. They are fascinating creatures and are essential for the environment.” Castiel said biting his lip. Sometimes he got a little overzealous in his enthusiasm. It was one of his many issues that made him socially awkward. 

“I actually just bought a small farm myself. I’ve been working to fix it up. Just put up a swing set so when this little ball of energy comes over he has something to do.” He said running his hand through Granger’s red hair. Granger was already halfway done with his corndog and had mustard on his cheek. Dean took a napkin and wiped Granger’s cheeks clean.

“Dean are you seeing anyone?” Castiel blurted out. He blushed and he hoped Dean didn’t notice.

“Right to the point. I like that and no I am not.” Dean said smiling.

“Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?” Castiel asked with more confidence than he had.

“I definitely would.” Dean said with a chuckle. They were exchanging numbers when two women approached.

“Hey Dean. Who’s this?” the red headed women asked as she petted Granger’s head.

“Charlie this is Castiel. Castiel this is my best friend Charlie and her wife Gilda, Granger’s moms.” Dean said smiling.

“Our towns resident bookworm.” Charlie countered looking at Castiel.

“Bookworms are actually very harmful to my profession.” Castiel deadpanned.

They all laughed. For once Castiel felt good socializing with people. He couldn’t wait for his date with Dean. He hoped this was the start of something wonderful.

~~Three Years Later~~

Castiel was walking back toward the house after checking his hives. They would have lots of honey to sale at the farmers’ market this year. When he looked up he saw Dean walking toward him from the house.

“Hey Cas. Claire woke up from her nap looking for her papa.” Dean said handing Castiel the wiggling bundle.

“Hey there my little bumblebee. Did you have a good nap?” Castiel cooed at their daughter.

“I think she is hungry. Do you want to feed her?” Dean said with his arm around Cas. These were the moments Castiel now lived for.

“I’d love to.” Castiel said kissing Dean firmly on the lips as they made their way back to the house Dean had restored. Castiel thought back to that night by the lantern’s glow that he found the love of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos welcome.


End file.
